MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A.J. Hoggard made a tiebreaking layup with 41 seconds left and Michigan State rallied past No. 18 Wisconsin 69-65 on Tuesday night for its seventh consecutive victory.
Wisconsin (11-4, 3-2 Big Ten) was playing its second straight game without leading scorer and three-year starter Tyler Wahl, who averages 13.2 points per game.
Joey Hauser had 20 points for Michigan State (12-4, 4-1), which won its first road game since Dec. 7, when the Spartans beat Penn State 67-58. Tyson Walker added 13 points, Jaden Akins 12 and Hoggard 10.
Steven Crowl scored 19 points, Chucky Hepburn 14 and Connor Essegian 13 for Wisconsin.
The score was tied at 63 when Hoggard made a move around Wisconsin’s Steven Crowl in the paint and delivered the basket that put the Spartans ahead for good.
After Hepburn missed a 3-pointer, Michigan State’s Mady Sissoko made two free throws to put the lead to 67-63 with 28 seconds left.
Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit made both ends of a one-and-one to cut the lead to 67-65 with 13.5 seconds remaining before Michigan State’s Tyson Walker sank two free throws to complete the scoring with 12.6 seconds left.
Michigan State made its last eight field-goal attempts and went 16 of 17 from the foul line to win a nip-and-tuck game that featured 14 lead changes. The first 10 minutes of the second half alone had nine lead changes.
BIG PICTURE
Michigan State: The Spartans had been winning games with defense., with opponents shooting just 36.4% overall and 23.4% from 3-point range during their last six victories. But they won this one with great shots and offensive execution down the stretch.
Wisconsin: The Badgers proved they could compete with quality teams even without Wahl, the 6-foot-9 forward who injured his ankle in a 63-60 victory over Minnesota on Jan 3 and missed the Badgers’ 79-69 loss at Illinois on Saturday. This loss, though, will hurt and the Badgers are now 18-6 in games decided by five points or fewer over the last two seasons.
Michigan State should enter the AP Top 25 if it wins Friday. Wisconsin probably needs to win Saturday to stay in the poll.
UP NEXT
Michigan State: At Illinois on Friday.
Wisconsin: At Indiana on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and
